Breakdown of Every Team in the South Region + Sleeper Pick to Make the Final Four

The NCAA Tournament will begin in just two days as No. 9 West Virginia and No. 8 Maryland will get things started in the South Region at 12:15 p.m. EST. To get a little insight on each of the 17 teams in this region, we have it all in one spot for you.

1. Alabama

The Crimson Tide may have the most talented player in all of college basketball in Brandon Miller. There's been a lot of scrutiny surrounding the Miller and the program over the last few weeks, but it hasn't impacted their success on the court as they won the SEC title by 20 points. They boast one of the nation's best offenses, averaging 82.2 points per game. But they aren't perfect. They have some odd losses on their resume, including getting crushed by Oklahoma, 93-69.

First round opponent: Texas A&M CC/SE Missouri State.

2. Arizona

The Wildcats are a severely underrated team, mainly because they're in the PAC 12 and have most of their games start at 10 p.m. EST. The fact of the matter is Arizona has been dominant since Tommy Lloyd took over the program, compiling a 61-10 record and back-to-back PAC 12 championships.

First round opponent: Princeton.

3. Baylor

Baylor got out to a rough start in Big 12 play, but got things turned around fairly quickly. They have one of the most experienced backcourts in the tournament which consists of LJ Cryer, Adam Flagler, and Dale Bonner. And oh yeah, they have a stud freshman who will be a lottery pick this summer in Keyonte George.

First round opponent: UC Santa Barbara.

4. Virginia

As always, Tony Bennett's Cavaliers play a slow-paced game offensively with a heavy focus on stringing together several stops on the defensive end. It's not an exciting brand of basketball to watch by any means, but it wins. Virginia has the 5th-best scoring defense in the country, allowing just 60.3 points per game.

First round opponent: Furman.

5. San Diego State

The Aztecs are another defensive-minded team that make it incredibly hard to get easy looks at the rim. Big man Nathan Mensah is averaging 1.5 blocks per game which helps balance a strong perimeter defense that holds opponents to just 29% shooting from three. They don't have the strongest resume, but did go 3-0 against Utah State and picked up a win over Boise State.

First round opponent: Charleston.

6. Creighton

A 6-6 start didn't keep the Jays from hearing their name called on Sunday. They had an incredibly tough stretch of games against Arizona, Texas, BYU, Arizona State, and Marquette that had them in a hole early. They improved as the season moved along and went on an eight-game winning streak in the middle of conference play which included three wins over ranked opponents.

First round opponent: North Carolina State.

7. Missouri

The Tigers may be the most dangerous No. 7 seed in the entire tournament thanks to the dynamic backcourt trio of Kobe Brown (15.8 ppg), D'Moi Hodge (14.8 ppg), and DeAndre Gholston (10.7 ppg). They play an uptempo style with their small ball lineup of four guards and a 6'6" "big man". If they catch fire from three, they could make it to the second weekend.

First round opponent: Utah State.

8. Maryland

The Terps have some really good wins on the resume which features Miami (FL), Purdue, Northwestern, and Indiana. They remind you of an old-school Big East team that makes all the effort plays and "uglies it up" on the defensive end of the floor. Offensively, they're well-balanced with four guys averaging double figures.

First round opponent: West Virginia.

9. West Virginia

If Erik Stevenson is hot, lookout. West Virginia could wreck a lot of brackets if his shots are falling. WVU overcame an 0-5 start to Big 12 play and played its best basketball down the stretch, picking up wins over Iowa State and Kansas State. Had they made their free throws at the beginning of the conference slate, they would probably be a No. 5 or 6 seed.

First round opponent: Maryland.

10. Utah State

One of the best pure shooters in the NCAA Tournament plays for the Aggies, Steven Ashworth. On the season, he is averaging 16.3 ppg while shooting 46% from the field, 44% from three, and 87% from the free-throw line. Taylor Funk (37.8%) and Max Shulga (36.9%) can also throw it in from deep, making Utah State one of the top three-point teams in the country and the third-best in the tournament, behind only Colgate and UNC Asheville.

First round opponent: Missouri.

11. North Carolina State

NC State doesn't have many quality wins, but their two biggest - Duke and Miami - were a big reason why they made the field. Guard Terquavion Smith (17.5 ppg) is a projected first-round draft pick and has an explosive backcourt running mate in Jarkel Joiner (17.1 ppg). These two can carry the Wolfpack alone, but they can also throw it underneath to D.J. Burns Jr., one of the biggest dudes in the tournament, and win by playing bully ball.

First round opponent: Creighton.

12. Charleston

Charleston is one of the few teams in the country that features a starting lineup completely of guys who average north of 10 points per game. They're extremely tough to defend in that they can all make threes consistently, including their only true big, Ante Brzovic. Despite being an undersized team, their guards rebound it well. As a team, the Cougars average 40 rebounds.

First round opponent: San Diego State.

13. Furman

Offense, offense, and more offense! Thankfully, they can spice up the desire to watch a Virginia game by drawing the Cavs in the first round. The Paladins have five players who shoot 35% or better from three and another who is not far off at 33.8% in Mike Bothwell, who just so happens to be their leading scorer. They'll give UVA a run for their money.

First round opponent: Virginia.

14. UC Santa Barbara

The Gauchos had a three-game slide in mid-February, but they haven't lost since. That's seven straight wins for USCB, including a 72-62 win over Cal State Fullerton in the Big West final. When they knock down shots, they can be a potent offense. Their biggest issue is consistency and that's why they may not be one of the trendier 14/3 upset picks this March.

First round opponent: Baylor.

15. Princeton

Princeton is better than people think. They have a balanced offense, led by Tosan Evbuomwan, and can really compete on the boards despite not having the size or skill that other teams around the country have. That said, their stay in the NCAA Tournament will be short-lived with a challenging first round opponent.

First round opponent: Arizona.

16. Texas A&M CC/SE Missouri State

Texas A&M CC is defensively challenged, but can score just as much as they give up. However, SE Missouri State may have the worst defense in the entire field, allowing 77.7 points per contest. Neither team stands a chance against the Tide.

First round opponent: Alabama.

Sleeper pick to make Final Four: NC State

I know, I know. There have only been six teams to ever make the Final Four seeded 10 or worse. But I really like the path for NC State. Plus, that's why it's called a sleeper pick. It's not expected to happen. Just a long shot that is talented enough to do it. In my opinion, Baylor is certainly beatable and there's a good chance Arizona gets tripped up by the winner of Missouri/Utah State.

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